In Ibeju Lekki in Lagos, Nigeria, the construction of a seaport five years ago was good news for the inhabitants. But the joy would soon be short-lived.
Before the construction of the seaport began, three wetlands were projected to be affected by the new project. One of them was a large swamp forest blessed with mangroves adjacent to the Lekki Lagoon, which is now largely dead after the completion of the seaport.
In 2016, After conducting a rigorous study, environmentalists in Nigeria recommended that the wetlands be preserved in 2016. The experts warned constructing a seaport near the wetlands could hurt the forest swamp and biodiversity of the area.
Now, residents of the Lekki community are threatened by floods due to the rapid disappearances of swamps and mangroves as a result of the ongoing activities at the seaport.
In the project for the Pulitzer Center's Rainforest Journalism Fund, Ibrahim Adeyemi explores how the multi-billion Lagos deep-water project came with a fountain of damage and ruins, directly affecting human lives.
